7 THRIVE Edition 2 This time last year, at the height of the global pandemic, I wrote in Thrive about the need to reframe the support we give to students in planning their careers in the industry. I highlighted the loss of confidence in the industry among young people as a direct result of COVID-19 and advocated collaboration between universities and colleges, the tourism and hospitality industry, industry associations and government agencies in order to assure students that they have a meaningful future in the industry. Undoubtedly, the lessons of the past year, both globally and in the South African context, have taught us that such collaborative thinking and action remains essential as we move, cautiously, towards recovery. At the same time, it is now opportune to reflect on the changed world that we live in and how the new tourism and hospitality ‘normal’ has altered the skills-set that graduates require in order to succeed in the industry. We have witnessed operational but also cultural changes in the industry. We have also seen evidence of changes in the working and living expectations of young people – what our students want from their post-graduation lives. Not all of this changed landscape can be attributed to the effects of COVID-19 alone. We also need to factor into consideration the consequences of more general generational change, including growing social and environmental awareness and activism among the young. The consequences of COVID-19, however, have changed physical and psychological relationships between customers and the operating team in our industry as well as how those employed in tourism and hospitality businesses, at all levels, relate to each other. The physical barriers we now see in place at the frontline of our operations (screens, masks, social distancing, sanitizing protocols) symbolize more than the safety of both guests and employees, they reframe the very notion of what we understand by hospitality and service. They can take key aspects of body language communications out of the equation and aurally filter verbal interaction as well. Workplace relations have also changed. Many back-office roles moved to home working during the pandemic and there is mixed evidence as to whether they will return to the ‘past normal’ in the medium to long-term. Therefore, those entering the industry may find themselves permanently detached from their notional place of work and from their colleagues and managers. In the workplace, as well, they will need to learn to navigate a significantly different physical, systems and inter-personal environment, possibly with a greater reliance on AI and robotisation, both of which have accelerated in their adoption in tourism and hospitality as a result of the pandemic. So what are the graduate skills implications of this changed world as it edges towards recovery? There is no doubt that the industry will still cry out for highly skilled graduates, strong on market comprehension, able to solve problems and make decisions under pressure and with all-round strong communication skills. Prof Tom Baum, STH Distinguished Visiting Professor, Professor of Tourism Employment University of Strathclyde Business School Tourism and Hospitality: What skills does the industry need to support its recovery?
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